After yesterday’s 5-2 win at West Ham United, Mikel Arteta provided updates on defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori after they were substituted before the hour mark.
Gabriel, a doubt coming into the match having limped off in the closing stages of Tuesday’s win against Sporting Lisbon, was central to the first-half action, breaking the deadlock on 10 minutes with another beautifully executed corner routine before earning a penalty in stoppage time when he took an unintended punch to the head from Hammers keeper Lukasz Fabianski. The Brazil international didn’t appear for the second half but Arteta made clear it wasn’t because his medical team were concerned about a concussion.
In his post-game press conference, the Spaniard said: “It was related to the previous injury that he had in Lisbon and obviously he did great to be part of that \[the game\] but with that result and with the niggle that he’s feeling, we decided to take him off.”
As for Calafiori, whose start to life at Arsenal has been peppered with injury concerns, he continued: “He’s been with little niggles in the last few weeks. Obviously, he had a very serious knee injury and he’s doing really well, but we have to manage his minutes and today we have to do the same.”
We’re assuming the injury he references is that picked up by the defender while he was still in Roma’s youth ranks; one that doctors feared might end his career at the time.
The upside of the injury issues is that Arteta has been able to give more minutes to fringe playes of the squad.
Jorginho started the match in place of the absence Mikel Merino and Thomas Partey, Jakub Kiwior replaced Gabriel for the second time in four days and Alex Zinchenko covered for Calafiori with Myles Lewis-Skelly struggling. Ethan Nwaneri also added to his recent substitute cameos along with Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus.
Arteta is impressed by the way they all stepped up to close out the win: “We had an issue with Gabi, we have an issue with Ricky as well, yesterday we lost Thomas and Mikel and Myles which was very bad news but what I’m really happy about is Jakub has to come in, he does really well,” he said.
“Alex the same, Jorginho, I thought he was exceptional today as well. That’s the level, every three days we’re going to need everybody at their best and it’s a good sign that the team can do that.”
With games coming thick and fast, it’s certainly important that Arsenal have found some rhythm after a patch run of autumnal form.
“We are in a great moment right now, but in football, be on your toes and be prepared the best possible way for tomorrow because it’s so competitive,” said Arteta.
“This league, the position that we are playing every three days, that’s the only thing that you can do, you know, analyse what we’ve done really well. A lot of things to improve and still today, go again tomorrow.”